Episode 61: “Living Wisely: Stoicism, Character, and the Art of Flourishing” with Professor Massimo Pigliucci

Episode 61: “Living Wisely: Stoicism, Character, and the Art of Flourishing” with Professor Massimo Pigliucci

What does it truly mean to live a flourishing life? In this thought-provoking episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with internationally renowned philosopher Professor Massimo Pigliucci to explore timeless questions about wisdom, character, leadership, and the pursuit of a life well lived. Drawing from Stoicism, Aristotelian virtue ethics, and modern philosophy, Massimo explains why philosophy was never intended to remain inside classrooms or books… it was always meant to help ordinary people live extraordinary lives. Together they discuss: • Why philosophy is a way of life, not simply an academic discipline • The enduring wisdom of Stoicism  • Practical daily habits that cultivate character and flourishing • The Stoic practice of evening reflection • Why true friendship helps us become better people • Purpose, meaning, and living a eudaimonic life • Practical wisdom and leadership • Healthy skepticism, science, and intellectual humility • Why our teachers should inspire us—but never become our masters Whether you're a leader, educator, coach, student, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers practical wisdom you can begin applying today. Because flourishing isn't something we stumble upon... It's something we practice. Connect & Learn More ·       Massimo Pigliucci [https://massimopigliucci.net/] ·       Massimo writes the Figs in Winter [https://figsinwintertime.substack.com/] newsletter over at Substack ·       Massimo publishes a regular column in Philosophy Now [https://philosophynow.org/] entitled “The Art of Living” Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey. Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy [http://www.flourishingleaders.us/]Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourishing-leaders-podcast/id1812798435] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0alO3sqwRxsI1q4zdcsfYi?si=e271ae306a364a53] | Google | YouTube Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life. Connect with Scott: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/scott-parsons-06428272] | Scott@FlourishingLeaders.us Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

Episode 60: “Noble Purpose: Craft, Character, and the Work That Helps Us Flourish” with Professor Garrett W. Potts

What if leadership isn't primarily about influence, but about becoming the kind of person who helps others flourish? In this thought-provoking episode of the Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Professor Garrett W. Potts for a rich conversation exploring virtue ethics, meaningful work, moral injury, and what it truly means to flourish. Drawing on the philosophy of Aristotle and Alasdair MacIntyre, Garrett challenges many of today's assumptions about leadership and success. Rather than viewing work simply as a means to achievement or personal fulfillment, he argues that our professions can become powerful practices of character formation; Places where we learn to pursue excellence while serving the common good. Together, Garrett, Jason, and Scott explore why flourishing is fundamentally relational, how empathy differs from compassion, why leadership requires care for the whole person, and how communities shape both our character and our capacity for wise leadership. Whether you're leading a business, serving in education, healthcare, government, the military, or simply striving to become a better human being, this conversation offers timeless wisdom for navigating today's complex world. In this episode you'll discover: • Why flourishing is always relational, not merely individual • How work can become a practice of character formation • What Alasdair MacIntyre teaches us about excellence and virtue • The relationship between empathy, compassion, and honest care • Why leaders must care for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit • How moral injury extends beyond the battlefield into everyday organizations • Why community is essential for developing character • How vocation differs from career and why purpose matters • Practical wisdom for becoming the kind of leader who helps others flourish If you've enjoyed conversations with Tom Morris, Michael Lamb, Marvin Berkowitz, Nancy Sherman, Donna Hicks, or Stephen M. R. Covey, you'll love this inspiring discussion with Professor Garrett Potts. Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey. Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy [http://www.flourishingleaders.us/]Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourishing-leaders-podcast/id1812798435] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0alO3sqwRxsI1q4zdcsfYi?si=e271ae306a364a53] | Google | YouTube Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life. Connect with Scott: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/scott-parsons-06428272] | Scott@FlourishingLeaders.us Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

Episode 59: “Becoming Better: Character, Moral Growth, and the Future of Higher Education” with Dr. Jennifer Rothschild

What does it mean to become a better person? And what responsibility do colleges and universities have in helping students develop not only knowledge and skills, but character? In this episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar welcome Dr. Jennifer Rothschild, Executive Director of the Educating Character Initiative (ECI), philosopher, virtue ethicist, and leading voice in character education. Jennifer shares her journey from philosophy to character education, reflects on the influence of Martha Nussbaum and Candace Vogler, explores Aristotle's vision of virtue, and explains why moral growth is ultimately a story of integration and wholeness. The conversation also dives into the exciting future of character education through ECI's Communities of Impact and Character Commons initiatives, which aim to connect educators, institutions, and practitioners around a shared commitment to human flourishing. In this episode: ✅ What flourishing leadership means ✅ The unity of the virtues and moral growth ✅ Aristotle, virtue ethics, and character formation ✅ Why character is always a social story ✅ Hospitality as a leadership practice ✅ The mission of the Educating Character Initiative ✅ Communities of Impact and Character Commons ✅ The future of character education in higher education Whether you are an educator, leader, student, coach, parent, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers profound insights into what it means to grow in wisdom, virtue, and humanity. Learn more about The Educating Character Initiative [https://leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/] Learn more about The Program for Character and Leadership [https://leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu]  Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey. Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy [http://www.flourishingleaders.us/]Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourishing-leaders-podcast/id1812798435] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0alO3sqwRxsI1q4zdcsfYi?si=e271ae306a364a53] | Google | YouTube Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life. Connect with Scott: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/scott-parsons-06428272] | Scott@FlourishingLeaders.us Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

Episode 58: “Healing the World: Character, Leadership, and the Common Good” with Professor Marvin Berkowitz

What does it mean to lead a flourishing life rooted in character, purpose, and service? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with Professor Marvin Berkowitz, one of the world's foremost scholars in character education and moral development. Drawing on more than forty years of research and leadership, Marvin shares insights from his groundbreaking work on the PRIMED framework, the role leaders play in shaping organizational culture, and why flourishing must extend beyond happiness and effectiveness toward a deeper commitment to the common good. Together, they explore: ✅ What flourishing leadership really means ✅ The Jewish concept of tikkun olam ("healing the world") ✅ Why noble purpose is essential for leadership ✅ How leaders shape the moral culture of organizations ✅ The six principles of the PRIMED framework ✅ Why adult culture matters before student programming ✅ The importance of voice, relationships, and servant leadership ✅ Common mistakes leaders make when implementing character initiatives ✅ Why character and citizenship cannot be separated Whether you're an educator, healthcare leader, military professional, coach, parent, or organizational leader, this conversation offers timeless wisdom about building cultures where people can truly flourish. Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey. Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy [http://www.flourishingleaders.us/]Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourishing-leaders-podcast/id1812798435] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0alO3sqwRxsI1q4zdcsfYi?si=e271ae306a364a53] | Google | YouTube Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life. Connect with Scott: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/scott-parsons-06428272] | Scott@FlourishingLeaders.us Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.

Episode 57: “Building the Bench: Leadership, Reflection, and the Courage to Flourish” with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, U.S. Army (Ret.)

What does it mean to flourish as a leader in professions where lives hang in the balance? In this powerful episode of the Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, U.S. Army (Ret.) to explore leadership, character, reflection, healthcare, resilience, and the enduring responsibility to develop others. A retired three-star general who commanded from platoon to field army, General Hertling shares lessons learned from nearly four decades of military service—including deployments during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom—as well as his groundbreaking work developing physician leadership programs in healthcare systems across the United States. The conversation also explores General Hertling's deeply personal new book, If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal, written during Desert Storm for his young sons in the event he never returned home. Together, Scott, Jason, and General Hertling discuss: * What flourishing leadership means in military and healthcare contexts  * Why a leader's primary responsibility is to "build the bench"  * The role of character, presence, and continual self-reflection  * Vulnerability as a hallmark of authentic leadership  * Leadership development among physicians and healthcare professionals  * Burnout, moral injury, and flourishing in helping professions  * Soldier-Athlete principles and holistic human performance  * The importance of mentoring younger generations of leaders  * The enduring lessons of fatherhood, legacy, and service  Whether you are a leader in healthcare, education, business, public service, or the military, this conversation offers timeless wisdom on how to grow yourself while helping others flourish. Thank you for listening to the Flourishing Leaders Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey. Learn more at: Flourishing Leaders Academy [http://www.flourishingleaders.us/]Subscribe & Follow: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flourishing-leaders-podcast/id1812798435] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0alO3sqwRxsI1q4zdcsfYi?si=e271ae306a364a53] | Google | YouTube Share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead with integrity and flourish in every domain of life. Connect with Scott: LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/scott-parsons-06428272] | Scott@FlourishingLeaders.us Flourish with us—because leadership rooted in character changes everything.